Invisible Refugees: The Integration of Refugees Living in Informal Hospitality Structures in the City of Rome

Minessi, Giulia

4. term

Global Refugee Studies, Master

2016

Denne masterafhandling undersøger, hvordan livet i såkaldte Informelle Hospitality Strukturer (IHS) – ulovligt besatte bygninger, squats og andre ikke-anerkendte indkvarteringer uden for det institutionelle modtagelsessystem – påvirker integrationsprocessen for flygtninge og personer med international beskyttelse i Rom. Afhandlingen stiller to hovedspørgsmål: hvilke konsekvenser bosætning i IHS har for social og økonomisk sårbarhed, acculturationsstrategier og integration, og hvilke typer af indsatser der kan modvirke social eksklusion. Studiet bygger på et års deltagelse i projektet “Protection of Rights and Advocacy” hos FOCUS – Casa dei Diritti Sociali (først som praktikant, siden som frivillig), semi-strukturerede interviews gennemført april–maj 2016 samt analyser af rapporter og dossiers fra humanitære organisationer. Konteksten i Rom er præget af for få pladser i det officielle system, høje boligudgifter og juridiske barrierer, herunder “Piano Casa” art. 5, der forhindrer folk i squats i at registrere adresse og dermed få adgang til grundlæggende rettigheder; desuden har korruptionssager (Mafia Capitale) svækket tilliden og indsatsen. Teoretisk trækker afhandlingen på begreber om “bare life” og fuldt liv, acculturation, integrationsmåling, netværksteori og en menneskerettighedsbaseret tilgang. Analysen belyser levevilkår i IHS, adgang til arbejdsmarked, sundhed og uddannelse, relationer til institutioner og betydningen af netværk, samt mulige værktøjer som “virtuelle adresseordninger” og en styrket modtagelse som start på integration. Uddybede resultater er ikke fuldt gengivet i uddraget, men afhandlingen dokumenterer barrierer for rettigheder og integration og drøfter mulige veje til inklusion.

This master’s thesis examines how life in Informal Hospitality Structures (IHS)—squats, illegally occupied buildings, and other non-recognized accommodations outside the institutional reception system—shapes the integration of refugees and people with international protection in Rome. It pursues two aims: to identify how living in IHS affects social and economic vulnerability, acculturation strategies, and integration, and to explore what kinds of interventions can reduce social exclusion. The study draws on one year of involvement in the “Protection of Rights and Advocacy” project at FOCUS – Casa dei Diritti Sociali (initially as an intern, later as a volunteer), semi-structured interviews conducted in April–May 2016, and analysis of reports and dossiers from humanitarian organizations. The Roman context is marked by insufficient capacity in the formal system, high housing costs, and legal barriers, notably the “Piano Casa” art. 5, which prevents squat residents from registering an address and thus from accessing basic social rights; corruption scandals (Mafia Capitale) have further undermined provision and trust. The theoretical framework engages with concepts of “bare life” versus full life, acculturation, defining and measuring integration, network theories, and a Human Rights Based Approach. The analysis addresses living conditions in IHS, access to the labor market, health care and education, relationships with institutions, the role of networks, and potential tools such as “virtual residence address” schemes and strengthened reception as a starting point for integration. While detailed findings are not fully presented in this excerpt, the thesis documents rights and integration barriers and discusses possible pathways to inclusion.

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Minessi, Giulia:

• Invisible refugees the integration of refugees living in Informal Hospitality Structures in the city of Rome (2016)